


A Toast

by PaintedVanilla



Category: Peter and the Starcatcher - Elice
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Old Friends, Past Abuse, Post-Canon, Speeches, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 08:49:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14565387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaintedVanilla/pseuds/PaintedVanilla





	A Toast

“Oh, Mack, won’t you give a speech?” Betty coos from where she’s sitting next to Alf.

Mack starts to refuse as politely as he can, but Betty talks over him in her loud voice about how a best man needs to have the best speech. He looks at Alf, a pained expression on his face, but his friend only offered a shrug.

When Betty finally finishes, Mack says, “I’m really not much of a literary man.”

“Well you read the invitation to get yourself here, so that’s no excuse.” Betty declares, and Mack deflates.

“I haven’t anything prepared.” he tries.

“The best speeches I ever heard were impromptu.” Betty says loudly, “I’ll give you a few minutes to gather your thoughts, and then I’ll give you the floor.”

“How very kind of you.” Mack says, and his bitterness seems to go undetected by her, so he steps away from the table.

He wanders through a throng of very drunk people, old mates Mack recognizes from the Neverland and men and women who work the docks. To the sides of the room, there sit stiff people in clothes nicer than anything Mack will ever be able to afford. They look on at the drunken festivities with disapproving expressions.

A young girl suddenly stands next to Mack, looking up at him although he’s scarcely taller than her. “I recognize you.” she says, and her voice is much more knowing than Mack would expect from a child.

“Do you?” Mack says, “I’m flattered, but I’m very busy right now.”

“You’re not doing anything.” the girl points out.

“I’ve been forced to give a speech and my time is running out to think of one.” Mack snaps, “Leave me alone, little girl.”

“My name is Molly Aster.” the girl says pointedly, and Mack rolls his eyes.

“I don’t care.” he tells her.

“I think you should care a great deal about someone’s name.” Molly says, “How else are you to address them?”

“I don’t like children.” Mack says.

“I’m thirteen.” Molly tells him.

“You’re a child.” Mack says, “Leave me be.”

“Oh, Mack!” Betty calls from across the room, “Have you got your speech?” she raises her voice even louder somehow then and addresses the whole room, “Alf’s best man Mack is going to give a speech!”

“Just a moment!” Mack calls with a forced smile, and then he looks back down at Molly with a scowl, “Now look what you’ve done.”

“It’s nothing I’ve done.” Molly says, “You’re the best man, you should have had a speech ready.”

“Oh, you brat.” Mack spits.

“My father has heard plenty of speeches, let’s ask him what he thinks.” Molly says, and before Mack can respond she grabs his hand and drags her to the side of the room. He suddenly finds himself under the gaze of several well dressed and scowling people.

He swallows as a man in a dark coat stands up and crosses to them, “Molly, who’s this?”

“The best man.” Molly says, “I saw him on the Neverland once getting beaten by the captain!”

Mack’s face goes bright red, and he quickly yanks his hand out of hers to cover the disgusting P shaped scar on it, “That’s not true.” he says, his voice high.

“Molly, don’t say such a thing.” the man says; he looks at Mack, “Pardon her, she’s still learning not to be so brash. I’m Lord Leonard Aster.”

At the mention of him being a lord, Mack bows, “I apologize, my Lord.” he says in a quiet voice.

“No need for that.” Lord Aster says, but he looks pleased nonetheless, “Molly, what’s the occasion?”

“Mack is the best man, and he needs to give a speech but he doesn’t have one.” Molly says.

“I’m sure you can address him more formally.” Lord Aster says, “Use his surname.”

“I don’t know his surname.” Molly says, then she looks up at him, “What’s your surname?”

Mack squirms, “Mack is fine.”

Lord Aster frowns, “Do you not know your own surname?”

“Mack is fine.” he repeats, “Or sir, I suppose, if you really want to flatter me.”

“Well, Mack, it seems you’ve got yourself in a sticky situation.” Lord Aster says, “Although, I must say, I’ve been in my fair share of speechless spots.”

Mack blinks, wondering how one man can have to give more than one speech in a lifetime, “Sure.” he says blankly.

“Just say something about friendship,” Lord Aster says, “Allude to how beautiful the ceremony was. How wonderful marriage is. How happy you are for him. You were shipmates? Perhaps you could tell an endearing story.”

Mack blinks again, “What does allude mean?”

Lord Aster looks taken aback, but then Betty’s voice is loudly calling for Mack from the other side of the room, and he looks sheepishly away, “Maybe I should just leave.”

“No!” Molly cries, “You must face your problems head on! It’s the only way!”

Mack is reminded then of just how much he hates children, and he turns and marches away from Molly and her father without another word. 

“Betty,” Mack says when he reaches her, “I really don’t - ”

“Oh, everyone!” Betty cries, her voice booming; she taps her wine glass with her fork. Everyone in the room suddenly stops to look at them, and Mack looks down at his feet in embarrassment, “Alf’s best man, Mack, is going to make a speech! Go on, Mack, make your speech!”

Mack looks up at Alf in a last ditch effort to escape this hell, but Alf only shrugs and slides him his glass of wine. Mack picks it up from the table and holds it in his hand, then after the silence has gone on too long, he says, “This is a beautiful ceremony.”

“Speak up!” Someone from the side of the room shouts, and Mack blushes and clears his throat and tries again.

“I said this is a beautiful ceremony.” he says, and his voice feels unnaturally loud, “I’ve known Alf a long time. He’s been married before, but, er, he seems much happier with you, Betty.” he nods to her and she beams, “I’m, er, honored to be here. Honored to know you.” he nods to Alf then, and then he swallows and holds the wine glass up the way he’s seen other people do it, and says, “Here’s to a happy - ”

He stops, his eyes landing on the ugly P on his hand. Everyone in the room, their glasses raised to match him, stares at him in confusion. Mack takes a deep breath and lowers the glass, then says, “I met Alf when I was eight.”

Everyone seems startled by this, a continuation of the speech that isn’t artificial in it’s congratulations. Mack continues, “I was looking for work on the docks to help my mum out, because I didn’t know my dad. When I began working on the Neverland, I was eight. Alf was old even then.”

A ripple of laughter goes through the room, and Mack grins and continues, “We were abused by the same man.”

_ That  _ kills the mood immediately. People stare at Mack in horror, but he just shakes his head, “Bill Slank. Our captain, he was…” he sighs and stares at his hand, “Alf stepped in to keep me from getting killed, more often than I’d like to say. If it wasn’t for him, I’d likely be dead." he pauses awkwardly, "He taught me how to play poker. And how to cheat at poker. And now I’m much better at poker than he is.”

He glances at Alf, who looks startled by the sentiment, and he tries to ignore the look of ripe horror on Betty’s face, then he says, “Thank you for taking care of me. For that, you deserve the world, and I can see to you that that’s Betty.”

An awkward lapse of silence, and then Mack lifts the wine glass to his lips and downs the entire thing. Conversation in the room immediately resumes, everyone trying to forget what’s just been said. 

“Oh, that was so sweet, Mack!” Betty cries as he sets the glass back down on the table, “So sweet, and so, so, personal!”

“I should be going.” Mack says, and Betty agrees with him enthusiastically, so he slips around to the back of the room, steals another drink, downs it, and sets out to finding the exit.


End file.
